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'''Daniel Milton Rooney''' (July 20, 1932 – April 13, 2017) was an American professional [[American football|football]] executive and diplomat best known for his association with the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]]
Rooney implemented a philosophy and management style that emphasized open, practical and efficient management. The Steelers were very successful during his tenure, winning 15 division championships, eight AFC Championships, and an NFL record six [[Super Bowl|Super Bowl Championships]]. In 2000, he was elected to the [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] for his contributions to the game. He was also credited with spearheading a requirement that NFL teams with head coach and general manager vacancies interview at least one minority candidate, which has become known as the "[[Rooney Rule]]".
Outside of football, Rooney served as the [[List of ambassadors of the United States to Ireland|United States Ambassador to Ireland]], from July 2009 until his resignation in December 2012.<ref name="BG_IrishAmbassador">{{cite news |first=Foon |last=Rhee |title=Obama nominates Dan Rooney as Irish ambassador |url=http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2009/03/obama_nominates_2.html |work=The Boston Globe |date=March 17, 2009 |access-date=2009-03-17}}</ref> He was also co-founder of the Ireland-related fundraising organization [[The Ireland Funds]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://irelandfunds.org/our-history/ |title=Our History |website=irelandfunds.org |access-date=April 14, 2017}}</ref>
==Early life and
Daniel Milton Rooney was born in [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]], the son of Kathleen (née McNulty) and Pittsburgh Steelers' owner [[Art Rooney]]. In the Steelers organization, Rooney was involved in many aspects of the franchise from the time he was a young boy, often assisting his father at [[Pitt Stadium]] and [[Forbes Field]]. He grew up in the [[North Side (Pittsburgh)|North Side neighborhood]] of Pittsburgh and attended [[North Catholic High School]] where he excelled as the team's quarterback. He was also the coach for the St. Peter's Elementary school football team, which was quarterbacked by future CIA Director and lifelong friend [[Michael Hayden (general)|Michael Hayden]].<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/02/AR2008110202621.html?sid=ST2008110202670&s_pos= | newspaper=The Washington Post | first=Mike | last=Wise | title=Mike Wise: The Spy Who Loved Rooney | date=November 3, 2008}}</ref> Rooney was mentored by Fran Fogerty, Joe Carr and Ed Kiely. These men assisted in teaching him the business of football. After graduating from [[Duquesne University]], with his major in accounting, he knew football was what he wanted to pursue.
==Executive career==
[[File:DanRooney.jpg|235px|thumb|Rooney (left), with President [[George W. Bush]] in June [[2006 in sports|2006]] after winning [[Super Bowl XL]]]]
In 1960, Rooney originally worked as director of personnel for the Steelers. By early 1969, Rooney was managing the day-to-day operations of the team and personally selected the coaching hire of [[Chuck Noll]]. Rooney was appointed team president in 1975 and was officially given full operational control of the franchise. His father remained chairman and [[Emeritus|President Emeritus]], as well as the public face of the franchise, until his death in 1988.{{citation needed|date=October 2018}}
Rooney generally avoided the spotlight, but he was a very active owner behind the scenes. Rooney helped lead the negotiations of the collective bargaining agreement of 1982, and is largely credited both by owners and players for ending a strike that lasted half of the season. He was also one of the main architects of the [[salary cap]], which was implemented in 1993. Rooney became the patriarch and controlling owner of the team, following the death of his father. In 2003, Rooney followed in his father's footsteps by slowly ceding day-to-day operations of the franchise to the next generation of the family. While Rooney was still chairman, and to many fans, the public face of the team, his son [[Art Rooney II]] assumed full operational control of the Steelers.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Marczi |first1=Matthew |title='Rooney: The Next Generation' Could Already Be On Staff |url=https://steelersdepot.com/2017/04/rooney-next-generation-already-staff/ |website=steelersdepot.com |date=April 26, 2017 |publisher=Steelers Depot |access-date=17 November 2023}}</ref>
In 1995, Rooney tried to stop the Steelers' biggest rival, the [[Cleveland Browns]], from [[Cleveland Browns relocation controversy|moving to Baltimore]]. He and Buffalo Bills owner [[Ralph Wilson]] were the only owners to vote against the move and he was a driving force in ensuring the Browns [[Cleveland_Browns_relocation_controversy#Settlement|return to Cleveland]] in 1999.
===Sale of the Steelers===
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In 2008, he surprised many with his public endorsement of [[Barack Obama]] for president. The family had traditionally been very private on politics, even being rumored to have a Republican bent. Rooney responded to his public endorsement with: "When I think of Barack Obama's America I have great hope. I support his candidacy and look forward to his Presidency."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_562310.html |title=Dan Rooney endorses Sen. Barack Obama (open letter) |last=Rooney |first=Dan |date=April 14, 2008 |publisher=[[Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]] |access-date=2009-03-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205132219/http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_562310.html |archive-date=February 5, 2009 }}</ref>
Rooney was the benefactor of the [[Rooney Prize for Irish Literature]] and vice-chairman of [[The American Ireland Fund]]. He was also a founding chairman of
===Death===
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[[Category:Pittsburgh Steelers executives]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Steelers owners]]
[[Category:Honorary
[[Category:Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Duquesne University alumni]]
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